Various government agencies learnt to have legally tapped around 10,000 phones across the country.
As per data collected by the agencies for the meeting of a high-level committee comprising cabinet secretary Ajit Seth, telecom secretary R.Chandrasekhar and law secretary B.A. Agarwal, sources said, around 4,500 phones were tapped in August in addition to more than 5,000 phones that were already being tapped.
Sources added that the interception is ordered by various intelligence agencies, police forces and the Army. It is also learnt that nearly 1,200 email addresses were monitored under the Indian Telegraph Act.
The committee has also cleared a fresh request for monitoring around 500 emails, sources added.
The panel rejected 17 requests and demanded clarification on the issue of public emergency for fresh interception. Not just phones, but emails too Nearly 1,200 email addresses are also being intercepted All interceptions under Indian Telegraph Act 17 requests by intelli gence wings rejected The Intelligence Bureau monitors nearly 6,000 phones as per data collected by government agencies. Over 2,000 requests by the IB were made in August alone. The Army’s Signal Intelligence is tapping over 1,100 phones of which 577 requests were made in August while 527 were already being intercepted by it, sources said.
“Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, which had over 160 phones under its scanner, has made a request for intercepting 350 phones during the month,” sources said.